The Lakers have used all three of their two-way contract spots, adding AK Okereke, Peter Suder and Chris Manon just before the start of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
It’s another step in an offseason that has been shaped by the team’s effort to build around Luka Doncic after the departure of LeBron James. Los Angeles has put a clear emphasis on young talent it believes can grow into useful rotation pieces, and now those three prospects will get an early look against higher-level competition before training camp begins.
Manon is the name Lakers fans are most likely to recognize. The 6-foot-5 guard was already in the organization last season, playing in nine games while also spending time with the South Bay Lakers. He averaged 0.8 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 5.1 minutes per game with Los Angeles, then put up 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals in the G League.
Okereke arrives after splitting his college career between Cornell and Vanderbilt. The 6-foot-7 forward is viewed as a developmental piece rather than an immediate contributor, but he brings size and shooting to the wing spot. In his final college season, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range.
Suder may have the strongest college résumé of the group. After transferring to Miami, the 6-foot-5 guard put together a breakout senior year and won the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year award. He finished with averages of 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists, shooting 54.6% from the field.
Summer League now becomes the first real test for all three. The Lakers have seen this path work before, with Nick Smith Jr. and Drew Timme earning standard contracts after first arriving on two-way deals.
And these additions fit into a broader offseason push. Los Angeles brought in Kevon Looney to shore up the backup center spot after acquiring Walker Kessler earlier in the summer.
The team is also active on the wing market and is hoping to land Jonathan Kuminga on a $20 million deal as Rob Pelinka keeps adding pieces around Doncic. Rookie Cameron Carr has already turned heads with his play in the California Classic.
None of the three new two-way players are expected to make an immediate splash, but the Lakers are clearly betting that one or two can grow into something more down the line.
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